Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention relates to pre-charged aerosol containers for dispensing paints, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus by which containers purchased by retail customers can be charged with custom blended colors at the point of sale so individual cans of aerosol paint contain colors which match a customers specific color needs.
Aerosol paint cans are well-known in the art. The can, which is pre-charged, is filled with a particular color (black, red, magenta, etc.). When a paint is applied, the user first shakes the container to insure the paint and propellant are uniformly mixed, points the spray nozzle at the object to be painted, then presses on a lever or the like to open a valve and release the paint through the nozzle. Heretofore, aerosol paint cans have only been filled with a single color; although, the color may be a blend of several colors. That is, the color is first mixed or blended and aerosol cans are then filled with the resulting color mix at the manufacturers. The containers are then shipped to retail outlets for purchase by end users. Previously, someone wanting to match a paint in an aerosol container with another color was limited to those colors the paint manufacturers made available. If someone needed a better color match than was available in these containers, they would have to match the color some other way. That is, they would have to buy a base color of paint in a conventional paint can, have the color blended with other colors to obtain the desired color match, and then apply the color using a brush or the like. Alternately, a commercial painter can have a conventional paint put into multiple aerosol cans.
In accordance with the present invention, it is now possible to custom mix colors in an aerosol container at a paint store or retail outlet so that a person wanting to apply paint from an aerosol container can purchase an aerosol container and then have the paint in the container custom matched to whatever color the customer needs.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of apparatus and a method for custom mixing paint to match a sample provided by a customer, with the resulting custom blended paint being in an aerosol container;
the provision of such apparatus and a method by which the custom color is blended by mixing two or more colors available at a retail outlet to produce the blended paint desired by the customer;
the provision of such apparatus and a method in which the aerosol container is already filled with a propellant, solvent, and base paint so only the colorant required to produce the desired blended color needs to be added to the aerosol container at the point of purchase;
the provision of such apparatus and method to enter a formula for the desired color into the apparatus with the apparatus then delivering the colors included in the formula, in appropriate quantities, to the aerosol container;
the further provision of such apparatus and a method in which a sample of a desired paint color provided by the customer is tested on a spectrophotometer or the like located at a point of sale so the various colors and their amounts required to be blended to obtain the custom color are identified;
the provision of such apparatus and method in which the volume of each aerosol container is ascertained prior to delivering paints or colorants to the container so the precise quantities of paint or colorant to be delivered is determined;
the additional provision of such apparatus and a method by which separate, metered amounts of those colors are injected into the aerosol container and intermixed with each other to produce the desired paint color;
the provision of such apparatus and a method by which up to sixteen different colors are available for blending in the aerosol container;
the provision of such apparatus and method in which paint is delivered into the container through a manifold and a solvent is injected into the aerosol container through the manifold after the final colorant injection;
the provision of such apparatus and a method which is usable with a variety of paints including flat base, glossy, and semi-gloss, as well as metallic, metal flake, and wrinkle finish paints; and,
the provision of such apparatus and a method by which a custom blended paint accurately matching the paint color needed by a purchaser is quickly and easily blended, with the custom blended paint being contained in an aerosol container so to be readily applied to a surface to be painted.
In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a customer provides a sample of a color to be matched. The sample is tested on a spectrophotometer to determine the colors needed to match the sample; or, the formula for the paint is entered into the apparatus using a data entry keyboard. A computer controlled mixing unit is responsive to the formulation determined from the testing to selectively inject predetermined quantities of selected paints or colorants through a manifold into a discharge valve and dip tube of an aerosol container. The container has been previously filled with a propellant, solvent, and base paint, and a solvent is injected into the aerosol container after the final colorant injection. After the colors have been injected into the container, the container is shaken so that the colors intermix with each other, the propellant, solvent, and resins to produce a paint of the desired custom color which is readily sprayed from the container. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.